


Sick Day

by WishaDream



Series: Control Shorts [5]
Category: Control (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, Cuddle, Cute, F/F, Femslash February, Fluff, Post-Canon, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, burnt porridge and cuddles, emily is sick, emily's side at the end, jesse becomes emily blanket, jesse comes to take care of her, just a quick visit that goes longer, possible game and dlc spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:12:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29205651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishaDream/pseuds/WishaDream
Summary: Emily is out sick and Jesse has come to drop off some get well supplies.
Relationships: Jesse Faden/Emily Pope
Series: Control Shorts [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2119476
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Sick Day

Jesse heard movement on the other side of the door as she lowered her hand. There was a slow shuffling sound as she heard a voice croak out, “Just a moment.”

The words seemed to have upset the speaker’s throat as a series of coughs followed. A light groan came as a period to the fit.

_She sounds miserable._

The door of the apartment opened as Emily looked at Jesse through heavy lidded eyes.

She was dressed in a light blue terrycloth robe which hung over a faded black t-shirt with the words “Who wants to be a princess when you can be a scientist” printed on it. Even more faded than the shirt were the sweatpants she was wearing which had a hole in the knee.

The shuffling sound had come from her footwear, mustard yellow slippers with the Star Trek insignia on them.

Seeing it was Jesse at her door, Emily wrapped the robe around herself as her pale face reddened slightly. Her nose was the reddest from the agitation of having blown her nose.

_She looks miserable._

Putting on a bright smile, Jesse lifted the bag she’d brought with her.

“I brought some of Arish’s cold remedy kit. There’s some black tea. Juice of Persian sweet lemon, and a perfectly soft boiled egg. He also included his mom’s version of chicken noodle soup.”

Reluctantly Emily moved to the side as she let Jesse into the apartment.

This was the first time Jesse had been over as she took a moment to take in the surroundings. Emily lived in a tiny apartment with the kitchen being the first “room” followed by the livingroom/bedroom.

Jesse imagined Emily would usually have a couch and coffee table set up in the front room, but being sick she had pulled out the murphy bed. The covers looked a mess with tissues jumbled up among the blankets. Books covered the rest of the space, giving the impression Emily had tried on multiple occasions to read something before she lost interest due to illness.

As Jesse pulled the food times out of the bag, Emily moved back to the bed. Letting out a load groan she laid down, grabbing the blanket as she pulled it over herself. Pulling it close she started to shiver as she let out a wretched sigh.

“Min-Young in accounting also gave me a recipe for rice porridge. She says her mom makes it for her whenever she’s sick. It has a lot of nutrients and doesn’t bother your throat.”

The ingredients Min-Young had told her to get were in another bag which she unpacked next.

Emily’s eyes were closed as she shifted her head to face the direction Jesse’s voice had come from, “You’re going to cook it?”

Jesse paused, pack of rice in hand, as she looked at the bed. After asking her question, Emily proceeded to cover her head with the blanket as the covers started to shiver.

“Yeah. Why?”

A tired squeak came from the blankets before Emily weakly answered, “I just imagined you as someone who never had your own kitchen so only ever ordered take out.”

She wasn’t wrong. Jesse had moved around a lot, taken a lot of odd jobs, and never had the chance to rent a place that had a decent kitchen.

“Min-Young assured me it isn’t that hard as long as I don’t get distracted.”

Emily shifted the blanket to reveal her face. Her smile was tired as she said, “Don’t worry. I won’t distract you.” The blanket went back over her face again as Jesse heard a muffled, “Too cold.”

Getting to work chopping the vegetables into super small pieces as instructed, she paused as she recalled she had to first boil the broth. Grabbing a pot, which made a lout sound as it hit against another. She winced, looking back at the bed. Emily wasn’t moving, other than the continued shivering. Setting the pot on the stove she poured in the chicken broth along with the rice. Once the heat was going she went back to cutting the vegetables.

“She called this Dakjuk, or Congee. It sounded really good from the way she talked about it.”

Emily let out a distressed sounding “hmm” as if any further talking did not appeal to her.

Leaving the porridge to simmer, Jesse padded across the room to the bed.

When Arish had come into her office that morning to drop off the medicinal items she hadn’t understood why he hadn’t just dropped it off himself.

But as she watched Emily shiver she was glad that she was the one that had come. She hated seeing her Head of Research this miserable, but she was glad that she could be the one to help her.

“Emily, where do you keep your extra blankets?”

There was a weak reply but the blankets kept her from fully hearing it.

“What was that?”

The bed creaked as she got down on it to lean over Emily.

“Where are you blankets?”

Emily let out an annoyed groan as the blankets flipped back. Turning, the woman fixed Jesse with a hard glare that made her recoil.

Emily’s eyes were like two flames as they darted quickly across Jesse’s form taking in every detail. Jesse’s bear arms as she’d taken off her jacket, the space heater in the room making her feel toasty enough. The light gleam of sweat on her face from standing over the stove.

Pope’s body relaxed as she wrapped her arms around herself, “So cold.”

Jesse gave her a sympathetic frown as she asked again, “Where do you keep her blankets?”

_I should just look. I didn’t want to go digging through her stuff but at this point…._

Emily’s eyes were back to looking unfocused, like she wasn’t completely there. The bottle of Nyquil by the bedside made Jesse suspect she was out of it due to the medicine.

Before she could move to start looking Emily lifted up her hand, motioning it towards herself as she beckoned Jesse closer.

“Yeah.”

Jesse leaned in as Emily motioned more adamantly. As she moved in closer Emily moved. She moved faster than Jesse would have expected as she grabbed Jesse, pushing her onto her back with the full weight of her body forcing her back. Jesse let out a grunt as she felt Emily curl up on top of her chest like a cat. The woman then let out a contended sigh as she started to soak up the heat from Jesse’s body.

_Is Emily some kind of heat vampire?_

“Emily, I can just get you a blanket.”

She started to sit up but was pushed back down as Emily again snuggled her cheek against Jesse’s chest, “So cold.”

In other circumstances Jesse would have felt like she was in a horror movie with a ghost repeating over and again the last words that came before their death, “So cold.”

But as the weight of Emily’s body on hers lessened she realized she didn’t mind. She was helping Emily. Being there for her in a way that Arish never would have been comfortable providing for the sick woman. But Jesse was fine with it because they were friends. She was fine sharing her body heat with Emily if that was what she needed.

Emily was obviously not in the right state of mind, the medication skewering her scientific method as she came to the conclusion that Jesse’s body heat was the best way to get warm. But blanket or Jesse, both got Emily what she needed: heat. And until she didn’t need that anymore, Jesse would be her that source.

Shifting her body slightly, Jesse got comfortable.

Emily felt so small. So fragile.

Back at the buruea Jesse often forgot about their size difference. Emily just seemed so much bigger with how confident she appeared. Sure, there were things she didn’t know, but she would readily admit that. Jesse on the other hand, had a far longer list of things she didn’t know.

But now that Emily was sick and in need, the things Jesse knew came in handy. She knew how to cook, sorta. She knew how to keep someone warm. Usually blankets, but cuddling also worked.

Smiling softly, she reached up to brush a strand of hair off Emily’s forehead.

“You have been there for me since the first day. I know you’re miserable now, but I’m glad I have a chance to take care of you for once.”

Emily let out a weak moan that might have been a show of her agreement, Jesse couldn’t be sure.

Jesse didn’t know when she fell asleep, it had been a long day at work before she’d come over. She had planned to make the porridge, give it Emily along with the tea Arish had provided, then leave so Emily could rest. Instead the warmth of Emily’s body on hers had lulled her to sleep as they two slept soundly.

When she came awake they were lying side by side, with Jesse spooning Emily. She was turned into Jesse, face resting against Jesse’s chest as she rested with a peaceful expression on her face. As Jesse watched her sleep she watched a crease form between the woman’s brows as she let out a cranky whine as she pushed against Jesse while saying, “Too hot.”

As Jesse moved back to give her space she found herself falling onto the ground just as the sound of sizzling came from the kitchen.

“The congee!”

Springing up, Jesse hurried to the kitchen as she found a large bit of liquid on the stove top, sizzling as it left a burnt mark on the surface.

Pulling the pot off the burner, she checked the porridge, which was a lot thicker than was probably normal. The bottom was also burnt and as she looked back at the counter she realized she’d forgotten to add the vegetables to the mixture.

_Too late now._

Letting out a heavy sigh she rested her hands on her hips before looking back over her shoulder at Emily. The woman had kicked her blanket down to the end of the bed as she lay on her back, letting out exhausted whimpers with each breath.

The porridge was inedible, but there was still Arish’s grandmother’s soup. Pouring the half the soup into a bowl, she set it on a trey along with a cup of the black tea.

Emily didn’t react as Jesse sat down on the side of the bed.

“Here, try some of this?”

Emily let out an annoyed cough before rolling away so that her back was to Jesse.

‘I’m not hungry.”

“You need to eat.”

Emily let out a distressed whine, as she kicked her feet before curling into a ball again.

“Come on, I’ll feed it to you.”

Emily let her head drop back as she let out an “I’m so done with this” groan before reluctantly pushing herself up. Her hair was jutting up at odd angles, static making wisps of her float up from her scalp like beams of light.

Between each bite, Jesse made Emily take a sip of the black tea. The first sip got a scrunched face from the woman, as she let out a sound that signaled she found the liquid bitter.

“I’ll get some honey.”

Arish had also packed some lemons. She chopped those up into wedges before coming back with them and the honey.

‘This is sweet lemon. It’s supposed to be good for your throat. Arish says he just eats them like an orange. Do you want to try that, or do you want me to squeeze them into your tea?”

Emily let out an exhausted breath like she was tired of thinking.

‘Okay, here,” Jesse put the honey and lemon into the tea, “Try it now.”

Emily took another sip. Whatever fight she’d had before was gone as she let Jesse fill her with half the soup before she fell back on the bed.

Pulling her knees up to her chest, she rolled onto her side as she tucked her head into her chest.

‘Are you cold again?”

Jesse set the empty cup and bowl off to the side. Leaning across the bed, she grabbed the blanket at the base of the bed as she pulled it up to wrap around Emily’s body. As she continued to shiver Jesse checked the cabinets around the bed for extra blankets.

There were clothes, boxes full of notes, books and journals, but no blankets. As she looked around the room she noticed there were more cabinets on the other side of the bed. The only way to get to them was to crawl across the bed.

Being careful not to disturb Emily, she stepped across the end of the bed. That’s when Emily seemed to have enough of being cold as she let out an angry groan while kicking out her legs. Jesse felt Emily’s foot connect with her ankle as she was thrown off balance. She let out a single panicked cry before toppling over.

Lucky for her she’d been in the middle of the bed as she ended up falling back onto the bed.

And Emily.

She wasn’t on top of her, but had landed beside her, clipping her in the back with her elbow. Rolling over the woman let out a distressed annoyed sound as Jesse found herself pushed onto her back again, as Emily straddled her, her eyes aflame again as she glared down at her.

Emily’s chest was rising and falling as she took in great labored breaths. That seemed to disturb her throat as next thing she was leaned down, coughing into Jesse’s stomach. The act made Jesse squirm as she was reminded how ticklish she could be.

Once Emily was done coughing she sat back, still sitting on top of Jesse, as her eyes closed, head lolling to the side before she completely dropped to the side.

Jesse caught her, directing her fall as she set her down, resting her head on the pillow. Her breathing was slower now, her expression soft with sleep. Laying on her side, Jesse propped her head on her arm as she watched her sleep.

Everyone at worked commented on how Jesse didn’t like to sit still. How she always had to be doing something. But Emily was the same way. While Jesse liked to be moving, Emily was always thinking.

_I wonder what she’s thinking about now._

As she watched Emily sleep, the woman’s brow furrowed, as line started to form between her brows. Reaching out, Jesse touched the crease, smoothing it down with her finger. As she did the tension in Emily’s forehead started to relax as she let out a contented sigh.

Though she knew she should leave now, Jesse shifted her body as she moved into a more comfortable position to watch Emily sleep.

_I like this._

___

[Emily’s side]

Emily felt uncomfortably hot as she came awake. Her blankets were tangled around her body as she fought to get free of them.

As she did she heard the covers let out a groan.

She paused as her mind took a moment to realized, _Blankets down groan._

Her mental faculties were still fuzzy with the cold medicine she’d taken earlier in the day. Even so, she was pretty sure blankets did not make sounds.

Opening her eyes she found her room was dark. When she’d taken the medicine it had still been light out, but now the world was as dim as it became at night.

In the shadows coming through a window she watched the blankets shift as they let out a tired groan.

_They’ve been Altered._

The thought startled her as she pulled back from the covers, afraid they might grab her, pulling her into them where she’d be smothered.

Before she could make a break for it, the clouds outside her window blew away, letting the moonlight shine through. In their light she saw the blankets more clearly, finding the face of an angel encased within the soft fabric.

_Jesse._

The blanket’s face looked just like the director and as she looked at the rest of the fabric she realized the whole thing had the shape of the woman’s body.

She didn’t know how the blankets had morphed into this form, but as she thought about it she realized she didn’t care enough about it to consider the issues with it.

Free from the covers the air of the room started to make her shiver as she rubbed her hands over her arms. Another blanket was bunched at the edge of the bed, but instead of grabbing it she moved into the Jesse blanket, resting her head on its chest as she closed her eyes.

If she let herself she could even hear the blanket’s heartbeat as the mass let out a contended sigh. She let out her own happy breath of air as she snuggled closer while the living blanket wrapped its arm around her, pulling her in.

Even though her head throbbed with her backed up sinuses, even though her throat was sore from trying to cough up a lung, here in this moment she considered it all worth it, just to be in this moment now.

_I never want this to end._

___

In the morning Emily awoke to find the Jesse blanket gone.

With her mind being clearer in the light she concluded it had all been a medicine induced dream.

There were signs of someone having come over: a container of Arish’s grandma’s soup in the fridge, a card from the man wishing her better health, and a spotless kitchen. Whoever had come had not just cleaned the kitchen but had also thrown out all her discarded tissues as well as having returned all her books to their cupboard.

Seeing the apartment had been cleaned did a lot for her mental health as she realized she had one less thing to worry about.

_Now I can just focus on getting better._

When she was better she found Arish her first day back at work, “Thanks for the soup. It really helped a lot.”

The young man smiled happily, “I’m glad. My Grandma swears by it. I hope the tea wasn’t too bitter.”

“I don’t really remember how any of it tasted, but it had to have helped. I was feeling miserable at the beginning of the day, but by the next morning I was feeling a thousand percent better.”

Arish nodded, “That’s good.”

As Emily started to walk away he called after her, “Are you heading to the director’s office with those?”

Emily looked at the files in her hand before looking back to give a nod, “Yeah, why?”

“She’s not in today.”

Emily’s brow furrowed in concern, “Is everything okay?”

“She was coughing the other day, and yesterday she had started to run a fever. I think she caught something,” he let out a light laugh as he joked, ‘Maybe she got it from you.”

Emily frowned, not sure how that could have happened. She hadn’t even seen Jesse in the past few days.

“Actually,” Arish turned away as he reached under his desk, pulling out a paper bag, “I was going to take her this cold remedy stuff after work. But could you do it for me? My Grandma needs help at the shop tonight…”

He wore a hopeful smile, as if thinking it alone would entice her to run errands for him. She should have said no, but thinking of Jesse feeling as miserable as she had made her agree, as she took the bag.

“Fine. I’ll just drop it off. I’m sure she’d rather not have company right now.”

Arish nodded, “Thanks. Yeah, deliver it however you want. Just—make sure she eats it before you leave. I can just see her leaving it on the counter and never touching it.”

Emily frowned as she found herself able to imagine the same outcome.

“I’ll make sure.”

As she headed out of the room she passed Min-Young, the head accountant. The woman gave her a curious look as she noted the bag in Emily’s hand.

‘You going to visit the director?”

Emily looked back, curious look on her face, ‘Yeah, why?”

Min-Young smiled, “Maybe you can actually manage to make her my mom’s Congee. What’s your number? I’ll text it to you.”

Once she’d received the text she started away.

“Oh, don’t forget the vegetables,’ Min-Young looked amused as Emily looked back.

_Everyone is acting so weird today._

Though it all confused her there was one bright spot, in just a few hours she’d be able to see Jesse again.

_I wish it was seven already._


End file.
